Window-cleaning chair



' 2 Shets-Sheet 1 (No Model.)

D; v. HOWELL. WINDOW CLEANING CHAIR.

Patented Dec. 12, 1882'.

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(No Model.) 2 8heets-Sheet 2.

D. v. HOWELL.

WIND 0W CLEANING GHAIIL No. 268,899. Patented Dec. 12, 1882.

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DAVID V. HOWELL, OF MONROE, NEW YORK.

WINDOW-CLEANING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,899, dated December 1.2, 1882.

Application filed April 18, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID V. HOWELL, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Monroe, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVindow-Oleaning Chairs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of-this specification.

My invention relates to a chair or light scaffold adapted for use in washing or painting windows, and-for like purposes. Its object is to provide a.light seat which will be adapted for use in any window, and which may be se (-urely fastened in place by devices which are simple, positive, and easily adjusted.

.- In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspectiveof my improved window cleaning chair secured in position upon a window-sill. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof. Fig.3 is a perspective view, illustrating a modified form of the invention; Fig. 4, a central section through the same, and Fig. 5 a transverse sectional view of one of the outer bolts and the plate carried thereby.

. chair is adapted to serve as a single seat, so

that it shall be as light and portable as possi ble. It is secured in position for use upon the window-sill to projectoutwardly therefrom by means of an extension of the side bars, D 1), of its seat-frame, upon whose ends are fitted sliding collars E E, connected to move in unison by a transverse bar, F. These collars and their connecting-bar have free inward play toward the seat, but their outward movement is arrested by means of a ratch formed upon the outer end of each bar D, and a pawl, G, hinged to the outer end of each collar to drop into and engage the ratch. (See Fig. 2.)

From the center of the connecting-bar F depends an arm, H, rigidly secured thereto, and

which is slotted longitudinally at a right angle to the barF. Within this slot plays a threadedbolt, K, flattened on opposite sides to prevent its turning in the slot, and which terminates at its inner end in a flat-faced head or flange, a. A thumb-nut,b,is led upon the screw-bolt next to the-head, to play between it and the inner face of the arm H. Upon the outer end of the bolt is placed a small plate, 0, notrhed on its inner face to engage counterpart notches on the outer face of the arm H, and the plate is confined by means of an outer thumb-nut, d. a

The nuts I) and d permit the bolt K to be adjusted horizontally, while the longitudinal slot permits a vertical adjustment thereof. The bolt is locked, when adjusted horizontally, by the thumb nut I), and vertically by the thumbnut 61, which fixes the engagement of the notched plate 0 with the notched face of-the bar H. i a

The seat is supported outwardly by means of toe-plates J -.-one on each side thereof. Each toe-plate extends at a right angle from a bolt, L, which projects downward from the under side of the seat. The face of the bolt below the toe-plate is flattened to bear against the outer face of the sill, and to form with the lower face of the toe-plate a right-angled notch adapted to fit upon andembrace the outerangle or edge of the sill.

The plate J may be either secured to the bolt L, in which caseits upper end is threaded and being led through an aperture in the side bar of the seat is adjusted therein as to height and secured by lock-nuts m n on opposite sides of the bar, (see Fig. 2,) or the. toe plate may be left free to rotate upon the screwbolt and be secured, when adjusted as to height,by means of a set-screw, 8, working againsta flat face formed on the bolt, (see Figs. 4. and 5 in which case the bolt itself is secured immovably to the seat-frame. A further support is provided for the seat-bars by means of screw-bolts P P. inserted through apertures in the bars in front ofthe seat to bear upon the inner sill. The

lower ends of these bolts P terminate in wide flat-faced heads, to prevent injury to the sill by their pressure thereon, and they are secured, when adjusted, by means of thumb-nuts o 0.

Instead of having two side bars, D D, project forward to carry the clamp-arm H, I con template extending a single central bar, D, from the rear of the seat to project out in front thereof. This central bar, D, is to be fitted upon its outer end with a collar, E, to be controlled by a ratchet, G, in like manner as the bars D D, hereinbefore described. The arm H in such a case is secured directly to the collar E, to depend therefrom, as shown in Fig. 4.

The central bar, D, orthe side bars, D D, may *be hinged as shown at W in Fig. 4. The central bar, D, may also he braced by bendingthe ends of the side bars, D D, inward to close thereon, as shown in Fig. 3. I

As an equivalent for the pawl and ratchet G to secure the collar E whenslipped forward upon the holding-bar D or D, I contemplate the use of a pin to be inserted in one of a series of holes pierced through the bar, or of other known mechanical device for catching and holding the collar in place.

In the use of the chair-thus simply constructed it is placed upon the window-sill and its rear adj ustin g-plates, J, and bolts L are brough t into position to bear upon and against the outer edge of the outer sill, being properly adjusted as to height either by slipping the bolt L and its plate J up or down and securing it bythe nuts m n, as in Fig. 2, or by turning theplate J up or down upon the bolt and securing it by the set-screw 8. (See Fig. 4.) When the adjustment of the seat to the outer edge of the sill is once effected it mayremain so unaltered that thereafter the seat may be at once placed in position upon that or an y corresponding sill. The outer end being in position, the front arm H is moved inward until the head a of the bolt K strikes the face of the wall under the sill,-

whereupon it is automatically held in place and fastened by means of the pawl on the collar or collars E, from which the arm depends, and a ratchet on the bar D. The bolt K is moved upward in its slot until its head, hearing against the wall, strikes also the under side of the projecting edge of the sill, whereupon it is securely set and locked by means of the thumb-nuts b and d. The screw-bolts P are then extended to bear upon the sill as an intermediate support for the arms 01, and are locked by their thumb-nuts. The chair is thus firmly and rigidly secured in place and supported at all needful points, so as to afford 'a perfectly-secure seat or platform outside the window. It may be quickly removed by simply loosening the bolt K. When removed the arm H and its locking device may, by means of the hinge W, be folded over into the chair in close, compact form.;

I contemplate, as an equivalent for the vertical adjustment of the bolt K in a slot in the arm H, as shown in the drawings. a vertical adjustment of the arm itself in the bar F, the slot being dispensed with and the bolt K simply left free to work horizontally through a threaded aperture in the arm.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination, in a window-cleaning chair or scaffold with a clamp or brace adapt ed to support and secure its outer end, of an inner clamping-arm, H, traversing upon one or more seat-bars, D, projecting forward from the seat, an automatic retaining device, G, operating to prevent an outward movement of the arm, and a stay-bolt, K, led through the arm at right angles thereto and admitting of both. Vertical and horizontal adjustment, all substantially asa-nd for the purpose'herein set forth.

2. The combination, in a window-cleaning chair or scaffold with clamping devices securing its inner end within the window-casing, of anadj ustable plate, J, and screw-bolt L, adapted to engage jointly, as described, both the upper and outer faces of the outer edge of the window-sill, and to support thereby the outer end of the chair, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID v. Howe-LIZ.

Witnesses:

- DAVID ,A. BURR, JOHN A. ELLIs. 

